TIFFIN, Ohio — A California man wanted on rape and kidnapping charges out of Circleville was arrested in Seneca County on Thursday after deputies found him hiding in a barn, the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office said.
Riley Q. Flores, 26, of Costa Mesa, California, faces two first-degree felony charges — rape and kidnapping — filed June 24 in Circleville Municipal Court, according to court records (case No. 2600530). The charges, brought by the Circleville Police Department, stem from alleged conduct on June 23. The warrants were entered with no bond, according to dispatch records.
Circleville police asked for help locating Flores shortly after 3:30 p.m. Thursday, telling dispatchers he had fled on foot the night before and was believed to be unarmed, the records show. Authorities tracked his cell phone to an area north of U.S. 224, and deputies found him hiding in a barn near the northwest corner of U.S. 224 and South State Route 19, the Sheriff’s Office said. He was in custody by about 4:35 p.m. Deputies from the office’s enforcement unit, working with the Circleville and Bloomville police departments, made the arrest without incident.
After the arrest, detectives executed a search warrant on Flores to recover evidence relevant to the investigation. The warrant was signed by Judge Damon D. Alt of the Seneca County Court of Common Pleas, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Flores was taken to the Seneca County jail and remained in custody pending transfer to Circleville, the seat of Pickaway County in south-central Ohio. He had not entered a plea, and court records did not list an attorney for him. The charges are allegations; a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
“I am proud of all of our personnel involved in the apprehension and the execution of the subsequent search warrant to assist the Circleville Police Department with their investigation. It’s great to see the resources, training, and technology we work diligently to provide for our deputies being utilized to continue to make this county and other communities a safe place. Job well done to all involved!” Sheriff Fredrick W. Stevens said.
